Kitchen Renovation
Executive Summary
Catalyst Rescue Mission has been a vital resource for the unhoused population in Southern Indiana since 2020. Our mission is to help end homelessness in Southern Indiana by providing shelter, case management, life skills training, and social services that propel people into housing permanency.
Catalyst is the largest shelter in the area, with 94 beds, and the only one to accommodate men, women, and children, allowing families to stay together during challenging times. We are the only emergency domestic violence shelter in Clark/Floyd counties. Unlike other local shelters, we allow clients to remain on-site throughout the day. This approach enables us to support individuals in their pursuit of employment, health services, life skills, and permanent housing solutions.
Our clientele predominantly comprises individuals from Clark and Floyd Counties. 50% of women are survivors of domestic violence, 65-70% live with mental health challenges, 45-50% battle addiction, and 30% have disabilities. Annually, we serve an average of 946 unduplicated individuals and maintain an average daily resident count of 93.
To enhance our ability to serve this vulnerable population, we urgently need to remodel our kitchen facilities, which currently provide over 77,500 meals each year. The existing kitchen, initially designed for sporadic use, cannot accommodate the high demands and quality standards necessary for our clients’ nutrition and well-being. The proposed renovations aim to create a more efficient, functional kitchen that includes expanded storage, upgraded commercial appliances, and improved sanitation systems. These upgrades will enable us to accept larger food donations, reduce food waste, and enhance meal quality, particularly benefiting those with health conditions exacerbated by poor nutrition.
In conclusion, the renovation of our kitchen is essential not only for operational efficiency but also for uplifting the lives of thousands of individuals facing homelessness. A grant from Impact100 Southern Indiana will also allow us to significantly improve the support we provide, ensuring that we meet the diverse needs of our clients and continue our mission to combat homelessness in Southern Indiana.